WASHINGTON, Oct. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels across the United States, has announced its 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Most Haunted Hotels list (photos). Released each October, the list invites heritage and cultural travelers to discover historic hotels where lore and legends make for memorable stays. For believers and skeptics alike, these one-of-a-kind hotels preserve tales of guests who never wanted to leave and staff who never stopped helping.
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The hotels recognized on this year’s list bring their histories and legends to life through seasonal offerings, including spooky packages, haunted-history tours, and special menus. Their stories include sightings of friendly phantom bellhops, welcoming doormen who disappear into thin air, smoky silhouettes of U.S. presidents, and melancholy spirits of tragic brides, as well as tales of paranormal vortices, cold spots, and unexplained sounds and scents. Several hotels have also hosted formal investigations by professional and amateur ghost hunters. Historic Hotels of America staff selected these 25 from more than 300 member hotels based on the quality and quantity of their ghost lore, their openness to sharing these accounts with guests, and the Halloween-themed experiences they are offering in 2026.
Throughout the year, these grand hotels, legendary resorts, and iconic inns across the United States nurture a strong sense of place and provide travelers with memorable ways to experience a destination. To be nominated for membership and inducted into Historic Hotels of America, a hotel must be at least 50 years old and recognized for its historical significance.
The 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Most Haunted Hotels, listed in order of the date the hotel building was established:
Colonial Williamsburg Resorts: Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, and Colonial Houses (1750) and Williamsburg Inn (1937) Williamsburg, Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg Resorts offer guests a wide range of historic lodgings, from the cozy Colonial Houses, which date to 1750 and were carefully restored or preserved, to the refined Williamsburg Inn, built in 1937 during the early years of Colonial Williamsburg, the largest outdoor living-history museum in the country. Ghost tours are immensely popular in Colonial Williamsburg, and spooky tales can be found throughout the historic area. According to one legend, the Brick House Tavern, one of the bookable Colonial Houses, may come with additional guests: visitors have heard keys jangling in the night, seen a man dressed in colonial-era clothing looking into a second-floor bedroom, and even smelled pipe tobacco. Some believe that Thomas Jefferson’s spirit still haunts Market Square Tavern, another of the bookable Colonial Houses. Jefferson stayed there while he was a student at the nearby College of William & Mary. During October, Colonial Williamsburg embraces the Halloween spirit with a range of spooky and engaging events, including the Haunted Williamsburg tour, a chilling experience that introduces guests to 18th-century colonial ghost stories and modern-day eerie encounters. Williamsburg Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1994, and Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, and Colonial Houses were inducted in 2000. Colonial Williamsburg was designated a National Historic Landmark District by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1960.
Historic Inns of Annapolis (1772) Annapolis, Maryland
The Maryland Inn, one of the Historic Inns of Annapolis in Annapolis, Maryland, has reportedly been haunted by a variety of specters during its long history, which began in 1772. Employees and guests have reported glimpses of shadowy figures dressed in Revolutionary War-era uniforms or 19th-century clothing, as well as unexplained noises, scents, and missing objects. Believers attribute many of these experiences to supernatural causes. Local legend identifies at least two of the inn’s ghosts as Navy Captain Charles Campbell and his intended bride, known today only as The Bride. According to the tale, The Bride waited for Campbell at the Maryland Inn while he was away at sea. Campbell was killed by a horse-drawn carriage as he returned to reunite with her, and she took her own life minutes later. Both died just outside the historic inn and are rumored to haunt the Maryland Inn to this day. According to authors Michael Carter and Julia Dray in Haunted Annapolis: Ghosts of the Capital City, The Bride paces the fourth floor, and Captain Campbell has been seen in his naval uniform in the basement taproom. Encounters with the resident ghosts are uncommon but not unheard of; some guests in fourth-floor guestrooms have felt a cold presence. Historic Inns of Annapolis was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1996.
The Red Lion Inn (1773) Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Ghostly rumors swirl around The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which has attracted paranormal investigators and mediums hoping to connect with guests from past centuries. With its idyllic setting, comforting atmosphere, and dedicated staff, the 250-year-old hotel offers an exceptional example of New England hospitality and, according to its lore, a perfect place to spend eternity. The fourth floor is said to have the most paranormal activity, and Guestroom 301 is also known as a haunted hotspot. Housekeepers, staff, and guests have claimed to see a ghostly young girl carrying flowers and a man in a top hat. Guests have also reported cold spots, unexplained knocks, and electrical disturbances. A few guests claim that they awoke to the feeling of someone standing over them at the foot of the bed, but staff familiar with the goings-on at the inn describe the spirits as friendly. The ghost tales are so legendary that writer and teacher Robert Oakes included a chapter on the historic hotel in his book, Ghosts of the Berkshires. The Red Lion Inn was inducted as a Charter Member of Historic Hotels in 1989 and dates to 1773.
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa (1789) Tubac, Arizona
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa in Tubac, Arizona, traces its history back to 1789, when the Spanish crown granted hundreds of acres of land to Don Toribio de Otero for his family to settle. Today, many of the resort’s ghost stories are tied directly to that history. Guests and employees have reported encounters with several recurring spirits, including a woman in period dress tending to household chores, cowboy figures seen in the former ranch stables, and a hospitable “doorman” said to greet arrivals. The most frequently told legend is one about the “boy at the front door.” Guests and even visiting descendants of the Otero family have reported seeing a young boy playing near the entrance of the historic hacienda. Otero descendants have separately described hearing a boy’s voice speaking in Spanish. The historic Otero House, which stands apart from the main resort buildings, is the center of many reported phenomena, from unexplained voices and scents to mysteriously moving furnishings. These accounts are chronicled in Haunted Otero: Ghost Tales from the American Southwest (2014) and have attracted investigation by the Phoenix Arizona Paranormal Society. Tubac Golf Resort & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2008.
Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa has welcomed generations of guests seeking rest, recreation, and renewal since 1806, including U.S. presidents, statesmen, and military officers. Its long history has also inspired a rich collection of ghost stories associated with several areas of the resort. Guests and associates have reported sightings of children in the Historic Wing and Frontier Tavern, unexplained activity in rooms dating to 1824, and apparitions near the resort’s historic indoor pool. Guests and staff have claimed to see shadowy figures wearing Victorian- and Edwardian-era attire at the pool, including a woman walking up the stairs and a young girl in a white pinafore. The Buchanan Conference Room, once frequented by President James Buchanan, is associated with mysterious knocks, unexplained audio recordings, and sightings of a butler-like figure, while the Daniel Webster Room is known for reports of cigar smoke and a gentleman resembling the famed statesman. The resort embraces its haunted history year-round with Haunted History Tours, offered Wednesdays through Sundays at 6 and 7:30 p.m. During October, the resort turns up the spooky atmosphere with special programming, including a Murder Mystery Dinner on October 24, a Halloween costume party on October 31, and Wandering Cauldron, an enchanting wizardry-themed pop-up bar running throughout September and October. Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2008.
River Street Inn (1817) Savannah, Georgia
“I’ve worked here 21 years,” a River Street Inn staff member said. “I’ve heard my name called when no one else was around. And I’m not the only one.” Built to be a warehouse in 1817, the otherwise charming River Street Inn on Factors Walk in Savannah, Georgia, is home to numerous unexplainable events. The permanent guests at River Street Inn do not give the impression that they are malicious; in fact, the few unexplained experiences of the hotel staff and guests hint at the spirits’ playful natures. Several guests of the hotel have shared over the years the sound and feeling of someone breathing into their ears when no one else is around, drawers opening on their own, items being moved around the room to odd locations, and even their names being called when no one else is around. One frequently reported figure is known as “The Man in the Black Hat,” who is seen entering restricted corridors only to disappear moments later. Lore also surrounds The Bootlegger Speakeasy, where staff describe unexplained activity ranging from moving glassware to unusual sounds and sensations. This October, the inn invites visitors to Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Séance Beyond the Veil, an unforgettable evening of haunted history, communal dining, paranormal storytelling, and specialty drinks at the historic speakeasy. This event is offered Fridays at 7 p.m. year-round. River Street Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1999.
Omni Parker House (1855) Boston, Massachusetts
The longest continuously operating hotel in the United States, Omni Parker House has developed enduring ghost lore closely tied to its history. Much of that lore surrounds founder Harvey Parker, who managed the property until his death in 1884 and is said to remain a watchful presence. Guests and staff have reported seeing an older gentleman in period attire on the upper floors, with some later identifying him as Parker from portraits displayed in the hotel. The tenth floor is associated with orb sightings and unexplained voices, while the third floor has long inspired stories of phantom cigar smoke and elevators stopping without being called. Many unexplained events on the third floor are attributed to author Charles Dickens and stage actress Charlotte Cushman, who stayed there on separate occasions. The hotel’s best-known supernatural tales are chronicled in Heaven, By Hotel Standards: The History of the Omni Parker House by the hotel’s official House Historian, Susan Wilson. During spooky season, Wilson puts a spirited twist on her signature history tours, guiding visitors through the hotel’s past while exploring its ghostly legends. Omni Parker House was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2006.
The Sayre Mansion (1858) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
The spirits at The Sayre Mansion in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, reportedly are mischievous in nature. Employees and guests report experiencing tugs at their clothing that cannot be explained, as well as televisions that mysteriously turn off. A maintenance technician was alone repairing a toilet when a small washer suddenly disappeared and ended up across the room underneath the bathmat; it seems as if a playful ghost wanted to play a game of hide and seek! The standing theory is that these playful spirits are the ghosts of children. The Sayre Mansion saw more than its fair share of tragedy in its early days. The Sayre Family moved into their Gothic Revival-style Victorian mansion in Bethlehem’s prestigious Fountain Hill borough in 1858. Of the family’s 12 children, eight survived into adulthood, with six drawing their last breath at the family home. A paranormal investigation several years ago claimed to detect supernatural activity in several areas around the mansion. This October, the inn offers ghost tours of the mansion on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., and tour ticket-holders can take advantage of special rates for the “most haunted” rooms. The Sayre Mansion was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2013 and dates to 1858.
1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (1886) Eureka Springs, Arkansas
1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, claims to be the most haunted hotel in America, and it might very well be. In the 1930s, the hotel operated as a hospital for cancer patients. A con man, “Dr.” Norman Baker, falsely claimed to be a licensed physician and charged unsuspecting families their life savings to “treat” patients there. Among the several restless spirits believed to haunt the destination resort hotel is Theodora. Tour guides, hotel staff, and guests allege that Theodora, one of Baker’s patients who died on-site, makes her presence known by folding guests’ clothes, organizing their closets, or arranging personal items scattered around a room. Guests have also reported seeing Norman Baker in the hotel lobby, describing him as a man in a purple shirt and white linen suit resembling his appearance in photographs. These stories and more recent reports are the beating heart of the hotel’s ghost tours. Year-round tours include a kid-friendly option, an Expert and Expanded Tour that explores the hotel’s history and reported hauntings in greater depth, and a Midnight Investigation that uses professional paranormal equipment several nights a week. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2000.
Hotel Monteleone (1886) New Orleans, Louisiana
Hotel Monteleone has developed a reputation as one of the most haunted places in New Orleans, a city widely appreciated for its gothic charm. Its most famous tale involves a young boy named Maurice, who stayed at the hotel with his family during the 1890s. The child’s parents were avid theatergoers who regularly visited the French Opera House along Bourbon Street. Because Maurice was a toddler, they often left him in the care of a nurse when they went out. On one such night, the Begeres stayed at Hotel Monteleone before departing for the French Opera House. While under the care of his nanny, Maurice developed a fever and passed away. Grief-stricken, the couple returned to the hotel in hopes of seeing the spirit of their beloved son. According to legend, they did not have to wait long. Maurice supposedly appeared before his mother and said, “Mommy, don’t cry. I’m fine.” The experience left her in tears, comforted by the belief that her son was at peace. Many guests have also reported encountering his spirit on the 14th floor. The hotel is also reportedly haunted by a housekeeper known as “Mrs. Clean.” Paranormal researchers once asked why she stayed, and the housekeeper, whose mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother also worked at the hotel, said she was picking up after housekeeping to ensure exacting standards. Hotel Monteleone was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1999 and dates to 1886.
Hotel del Coronado (1888) San Diego, California
According to medium James Van Praagh, Hotel del Coronado is “gorgeous and completely unique” as well as “extremely haunted.” Van Praagh, who held a 2018 séance at the San Diego, California, hotel, was especially impressed by the paranormal activity he perceived in the grand resort’s lobby. More than a century of unexplained phenomena have been reported throughout the resort, including sightings of a small Victorian-era girl, a man in period clothing, and a woman in white. Pots and pans reportedly rattle in the kitchen, and objects move in the historic gift shop. The hotel’s most famous ghost is the tragic Kate Morgan, who died there in 1892 and is rumored never to have left. Her room, Room 3327, is the most requested guestroom at the resort. Another room, Room 3519, is also the subject of ghostly reports. In 1992, parapsychologist and paranormal investigator Christopher Chacon conducted a 12-month assessment of reported phenomena at the resort. The investigation yielded nearly 10,000 hours of content and documented more than 400 anomalous phenomena in Room 3519. Hotel del Coronado was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007 and dates to 1888.
Jekyll Island Club Resort (1887) Jekyll Island, Georgia
Jekyll Island Club Resort on Jekyll Island, Georgia, has seen many families come and go since it opened in 1887. Since that time, there have been seven different ghosts that reportedly haunt this resort. One story is about the ghost of a former president, who walks along the veranda at sunset. A woman in a blue party dress has also been seen dreamily dancing around and looking for her lost love, a handsome hotel waiter with whom she had spent a flirty evening dancing. She passed not long after, but perhaps never left the resort. Another ghost is a bellman dressed in a period uniform from the 1920s, with a cap and suit, who is said to regularly deliver freshly pressed suits to bridegrooms. More than one soon-to-be-married groom, who had not ordered this service, has asked the hotel staff about the ghostly bellman. Another such encounter involves industrialist J.P. Morgan, who stayed at the resort’s Sans Souci Cottage. Mr. Morgan was a lover of cigars. As the story goes, one could tell where he was by following the trail of smoke. To avoid criticism of his favorite hobby, he would rise early every morning, by 5 a.m., to enjoy a cigar on the porch. While most contemporary guests are not rising at such an early hour for a cigar, those who have stayed in the historic Morgan apartment swear that they have awakened to the faint smell of cigar smoke wafting about when there is absolutely no one else awake. During October, the resort’s Hotel History Tours get a spooky twist, mixing the Club’s history with some of the staff’s favorite ghost stories, while visiting both historic and reportedly haunted areas. Jekyll Island Club Resort was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1994.
The Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (1909) San Antonio, Texas
From haunted tours to themed packages, The Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas, keeps its spooky legends alive every Halloween season, drawing thrill-seekers and history buffs alike. Ask a staff member about the hotel’s ghost stories, and the conversation will likely turn to Room 636. The room has long been shrouded in mystery. Since the 1960s, guests and staff have reported unsettling phenomena, including unexplained cold spots, flickering lights, and faint whispers or footsteps when no one is present. Some claim to have seen a shadowy figure lingering near the doorway or caught the faint scent of cigar smoke despite the hotel’s smoking prohibition. Housekeepers have shared stories of entering the room only to feel watched or find objects mysteriously moved. Beyond Room 636, guests have described seeing a woman in white drifting through the hallways, hearing phantom piano music in spaces that once hosted live performances, and detecting cigar smoke in nonsmoking areas. Security guards have reported dark figures moving through the ballroom and basement after hours, only to vanish upon closer inspection. These accounts from staff and visitors have become part of the hotel’s folklore. In past years, the hotel has embraced its century-old stories by featuring Room 636 on local ghost tours, partnering with San Antonio haunted-history groups, and participating in citywide Halloween festivities. Some guests book October stays specifically to experience the paranormal side of this historic hotel. The Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2025 and dates to 1909.
The Lafayette Hotel (1918) Marietta, Ohio
Rising on the banks of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers in Marietta, Ohio, The Lafayette Hotel dates to 1918 and was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, who visited Marietta in 1825. For over a century now, the hotel has become known not only for its riverside history but also for enduring tales of unexplained activity. Most reports name the third floor as a hotspot, where guests and staff have described phantom footsteps, sudden cold spots, and sightings of figures in period dress. Downstairs, three spirits are rumored to linger near the basement offices, and staff reportedly steer clear of one restroom said to lock its own doors and kill the lights. Other stories involve mysteriously repositioned luggage, doors that seem to move on their own, and a Bible reportedly found open after being left closed. Longtime employees often characterize the hotel’s reputed spirits, including members of the family that once operated the property, as more playful than frightening. The hotel’s hauntings have attracted attention from paranormal organizations and publications. In fact, paranormal investigators take over the third floor for a “lights-out” overnight hunt annually in January as part of a local ghost-hunting convention. The Lafayette Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2026.
The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis (1922) St. Louis, Missouri
Located in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis opened in 1922 and, if guests ask a staff member about its history, they may be regaled with tales of famous guests like Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald, or the quirks of the U.S. presidents who have visited the hotel. But if you ask about the hotel’s ghost stories, you will learn about The Bride. The story goes, many years ago, a bride tragically died after falling from the 19th-floor terrace on her wedding night, sparking decades of speculation that unexplained phenomena in the hotel may be attributed to her spirit. Her mysterious death—no note left behind, an unconscious husband, and swirling rumors—became the foundation for ghostly sightings reported at the hotel, especially on the third floor where she tragically landed. The legend deepened in 1979 when a new hotel director, unaware of the floor’s haunted reputation, resigned after seeing The Bride’s reflection while shaving. These accounts have cemented The Bride’s ghost as a permanent part of the hotel’s haunted legacy. This October, the hotel’s signature Chase Park Plaza Cinema is showing several cult classics: Poltergeist (1982) on October 16-18; The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) with shadow cast on October 23-25; and Nosferatu (1922) with Gerry Marian on the organ on October 30 and 31. The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2025.
The George Washington Hotel (1922) Washington, Pennsylvania
Since opening in downtown Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1922, The George Washington Hotel has developed a reputation for being haunted. Contemporary ghost hunters, including investigators from the television show Ghost Hunters, have examined the building. Their visits have reportedly produced evidence of paranormal activity concentrated on the fourth floor, with additional activity on the eighth and tenth floors. Staff and guests have recounted dozens of encounters. Visitors have reported seeing the grand piano in the lobby play by itself while disembodied voices sounded in the background. Some have also said that the eyes in the lobby’s portraits of George and Martha Washington appear to follow them. Spectral figures have reportedly been seen drinking in Bradford’s Lounge, the hotel’s speakeasy. Staff have heard children’s laughter on the fourth floor, housekeepers have described ghostly figures gliding across various floors, and maintenance workers have observed shadows near the boilers. Despite these stories, the spirits said to roam the halls are described as friendly, perhaps even helpful. The hotel shares its legends through ghost tours and displays a photograph taken on-site that reportedly shows orbs. The George Washington Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2023.
Francis Marion Hotel (1924) Charleston, South Carolina
The Francis Marion Hotel is home to the legend of Ned Cohen, a young New York businessman who stayed at the hotel in 1929 while visiting Charleston, South Carolina. Ned had fallen in love with a young Charleston woman he met in New York, and the two spent a romantic weekend together at the Francis Marion Hotel. While Ned slept, she left him a note: “I’m sorry. My family will never understand us. Good-Bye.” Ned was staying in Room 1010 on the tenth floor. After the woman left, he opened the window of his room and fell to his death on King Street below. His spirit is said to remain at the Francis Marion. Since then, guests on the tenth floor have reported rattling windowpanes, windows opening on their own, silk drapes moving without an apparent source, and the appearance of a young man wandering the halls. Some guests have also reported feeling a light touch on their cheek or the sensation of being watched. The Francis Marion’s ghost story has been featured in several books about Charleston’s ghost legends. This season, the Francis Marion offers a “Wicked Good Fun Halloween” package, which includes a hotel stay, a haunted Charleston walking tour through Bulldog Tours, a copy of the hotel’s ghost story, and signature spooky cookies. Francis Marion Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1999.
The Emily Morgan San Antonio – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel (1924) San Antonio, Texas
Located across from The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, The Emily Morgan San Antonio – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is known as one of the most haunted hotels in Texas. In 2015, USA Today ranked it the third most haunted hotel in the world. According to reports from the hotel’s management team, the seventh, ninth, and fourteenth floors are the most haunted. These floors once housed the building’s psychiatric ward, surgery level, and waiting area and morgue, respectively. Most paranormal reports at The Emily Morgan San Antonio involve spirits associated with the building’s former use as a hospital. On the fourteenth floor, guests have reported a hospital-like smell and, on rare occasions, visions of a hospital scene rather than their guestroom when they open the door from the hallway. On the twelfth floor, guests have reported bathroom doors opening and closing on their own, lights flashing, and apparitions of nurses pushing rickety gurneys down the corridor before vanishing. The Emily Morgan San Antonio – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2015 and dates to 1924.
Hawthorne Hotel (1925) Salem, Massachusetts
The colonial seaport town of Salem, Massachusetts, is notorious for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, and the historic Hawthorne Hotel has developed haunted traditions of its own. Since the hotel opened in 1925, guests have reported moving furniture, sightings of a ghostly woman, and unexplained noises. The property is often ranked among the most haunted hotels in the United States. Named for well-known Salem resident and author Nathaniel Hawthorne, the hotel is said to be haunted by sea captains returning to a favorite gathering place. According to lore, Room 325 is the most haunted room in the hotel, and guests there have claimed to feel cold spots and smell fresh-cut flowers. Guests staying in Room 612 and elsewhere on the sixth floor have reported seeing a ghostly woman roaming the halls. Rooms 621 and 325 have also been associated with lights and faucets turning on and off by themselves. In 1990, the hotel held a séance in the Grand Ballroom in an effort to contact Harry Houdini. In 2007, Syfy’s popular paranormal show, Ghost Hunters, visited the hotel to investigate. Hawthorne Hotel was established in 1925 and inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1991.
Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, Arizona, has a reputation as an active haunt, with a variety of unexplained experiences reported since it opened in 1927. Most of its paranormal tales involve a ghost that many have called Faith. Legend has it that soon after the hotel opened, a bride (Faith) and her newlywed husband checked into the Hassayampa Inn on their honeymoon. According to the story, Faith’s husband went out to buy cigarettes and never returned. Faith waited for three days and then took her own life in despair. Since then, countless hotel guests and employees have reported encounters with a young woman throughout the hotel, crying at the end of a bed, dressed in a pink gown in the hallway, and appearing and disappearing from guestrooms. Others have reported strange cold spots in Faith’s honeymoon suite, lights or the television turning on in the middle of the night, and waking to find their toothbrushes missing. However, Faith never threatens in these encounters. One recent guest, a young man, said he sensed someone in his room when he awoke. He drifted off to sleep and awoke to someone hugging him. Then he asked if there had been incidents of ghostly encounters at the hotel. “Oh, that’s just Faith,” the front desk clerk said. Hassayampa Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1996.
The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, California, welcomes guests past and present, reflecting a belief that spirits linger where they were happiest. Tenured employees say that when the evenings are still and fog rolls in from San Francisco Bay, a woman named Victoria can be seen strolling the hallways in period clothing. One of Sonoma Valley’s early European settlers, Victoria is said to have celebrated her wedding and many anniversaries at the resort. For decades, guests have also described an otherworldly presence at the inn. A handsome room in the original inn building is reportedly haunted by an elderly man, and guests have described feeling that they are not alone at night, hearing doors slam, glimpsing movement from the corners of their eyes, or seeing something run down the hall and around a corner. The famous Round Room is said to be one of the most haunted hotel rooms in California. Guests have reported flickering lights, unexplained noises, shadowy figures, running water, and other paranormal activity there. The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2014.
Hotel Saranac, Curio Collection by Hilton (1927) Saranac Lake, New York
Goblins, ghouls, spirits, and specters all promise to be wandering the streets of Saranac Lake, New York, on Halloween night. Of course, most of those figures will be children dressed in costumes for the occasion. But deep in the heart of the Hotel Saranac, there may be a sighting of a distinguished man dressed in a black suit with tails and a top hat. Believers think that the man is Howard Littell and that is no costume he is wearing. Saranac Lake’s high school once stood on the grounds where the Hotel Saranac currently is located, and Littell was the superintendent of schools for nearly 35 years in the early 20th century. Littell was known for roaming the high school’s hallways and keeping the students in line. The high school relocated in 1926, and Hotel Saranac was built on the site the following year. Littell moved on with the new high school, but legend tells that his spirit did not. People have claimed to have seen him wandering the halls of the hotel, perhaps looking to keep a stray student in line. Every floor has a story, from the spectral sightings near the ballroom on the second floor of Frances Peroni, who taught there when the hotel was owned by Paul Smith’s College, to the scratching of a ghost cat on the third floor. Stories abound about guests hearing singing on the sixth floor. Of course, some report that Howard Littell is still roaming the basement. Hotel Saranac, Curio Collection by Hilton was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1998.
Bolling Wilson Hotel (1927) Wytheville, Virginia
When the lobby is quiet and the hour is late, staff at the Bolling Wilson Hotel still tell the story of a gentleman who may never have clocked out. The graveyard shift at the hotel has made way for multiple accounts of an elegant gentleman, believed to be a former waiter, who reportedly appears in the lobby before quietly disappearing. The waiter may not be the only one still working. Staff lore also describes the unexplained yet unmistakable sound of dishes and silverware clinking in the restaurant after it has emptied. The building’s other presumed spirits, “Trish” and “Josh,” are remembered as the more mischievous residents. They are blamed for vanishing supplies, unexplained typing, empty elevators that arrive on their own, and plumbing disturbances—playful enough to make staff laugh, but strange enough to make them look twice. These stories are explored thoroughly in The Ghostly Tales of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands. The Virginia hotel’s broader history and paranormal lore are also featured in the 2023 documentary Saving History: The Bolling Wilson Hotel from the Driving Through Time series. In October, the hotel is steps from downtown Wytheville’s community Halloween activities, making it an ideal base for travelers who want small-town fall charm alongside historic ghost lore. Bolling Wilson Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2025.
The Hermosa Inn (1935) Paradise Valley, Arizona
The Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona, began as the hand-built adobe studio and residence of renowned cowboy artist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee, whose paintings helped define the visual mythology of the American West. Today, the inn’s enduring ghost lore remains closely tied to its founder, with staff and guests frequently attributing unexplained occurrences in the original adobe structures to Lon’s lingering presence. Reports of a cowboy reflected in casita mirrors, neatly arranged tools in the underground wine cellar, objects shifting in LON’s Last Drop, and sightings of a mysterious Pink Lady have become part of the inn’s living narrative. Staff have developed a shorthand for unexplained incidents, such as candlesticks tipping out of their holders, décor sliding off the host stand, and pots and pans falling from kitchen racks: “Lon did it,” and the shift continues. To learn more, read the inn’s published accounts or ask for the self-guided ghost tour at check-in. The Hermosa Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2011.
The Queen Mary (1936) Long Beach, California
Launched in 1936 and now permanently moored in Long Beach, California, The Queen Mary is among the last great ocean liners of the Golden Age of transatlantic travel and one of the world’s most legendary haunted destinations. Originally built for the Cunard Line, the vessel carried celebrities, royalty, military personnel, and travelers across the Atlantic before beginning a second life as a hotel and museum. Its ghost lore is inseparable from the ship’s history, with stories centered on the infamous Watertight Door 13, Stateroom B340, the mysterious Lady in White said to dance in the ship’s grand public rooms, and the former First Class Swimming Pool, alleged to be the location of a paranormal “vortex.” Over the years, the Front Desk has received reports associated with Stateroom B340, including flickering lights, a running sink faucet, porthole windows opening and closing on their own, and strange knocking noises heard inside and outside the room. The ship has been featured in paranormal television programs, films, and investigations, while annual events such as Dark Harbor, themed ghost tours, and seasonal haunted experiences continue to explore its rich collection of legends. Guests today can explore these historic spaces through guided paranormal tours and seasonal experiences that interpret the vessel’s remarkable blend of maritime history, folklore, and preservation. The Queen Mary was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2024.
“More than merely ghost stories, these enduring legends and folklore contribute to the unique character of the inns, resorts, and hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “The historic destinations on this list embrace their ghost stories as a treasured feature of their hotels.”
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About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation was chartered by U.S. Congress in 1949 and is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading the movement to save the places where our history happened. To be nominated and selected for membership in this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historical significance. Of the more than 315 historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America from 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all historic hotels faithfully preserve their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Katherine Orr
Director, Marketing Strategy & Communications
Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide
korr@historichotels.org
